Examining the Focus of SoTL Literature—Teaching and Learning?

Karen Manarin; Christine Adams; Richard Fendler; Heidi Marsh; Ethan Pohl; Suzanne Porath; Alison Thomas

doi:10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.23

Authors

Karen Manarin Mount Royal University
Christine Adams University of Tasmania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5362-654X
Richard Fendler Georgia State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8222-1215
Heidi Marsh Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
Ethan Pohl Queen's University
Suzanne Porath Kansas State University
Alison Thomas Douglas College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.23

Keywords:

SOTL, Literature review, teaching, learning

Abstract

Although the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) claims to focus on student learning, some have argued that SoTL studies often adopt a narrow view of learning and focus more on teaching than on learning. In this paper, we explore whether teaching is the primary focus of recent articles published from 2013-2017 in three international, self-identified SoTL journals: Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal (TLI), The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ijSOTL), and The Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL). Based on our analysis of the 299 empirical articles, we argue that they portray SoTL as a field focused primarily on teacher activity rather than student learning, despite efforts to broaden its scope.

Author Biographies

Karen Manarin, Mount Royal University

Karen Manarin, PhD, is Professor of English at Mount Royal University (CAN).

Christine Adams, University of Tasmania

Christine Adams, PhD, is a teaching and learning academic in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Tasmania (AUS). She does research in work-integrated learning and graduate employability. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5362-654.

Richard Fendler, Georgia State University

Richard Fendler, PhD, is a clinical Associate Professor of Finance in the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University (USA).

Heidi Marsh, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

Heidi Marsh, PhD, is the Director of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (CAN).

Ethan Pohl, Queen's University

Ethan Pohl is a PhD candidate in Sociology at Queen’s University (CAN).

Suzanne Porath, Kansas State University

Suzanne Porath, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University (USA).

Alison Thomas, Douglas College

Alison Thomas, PhD, taught sociology at Douglas College (CAN) until her retirement in 2020.

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